Chapter 13: Meeting

"Can you blame me, Gazellian? Natiis mo ako nang napakaraming taon. And instead of kissing, you greeted me with a dagger on my neck."

Kreios walked closer to my cage, tightly gripping the golden bars. I could see the prodded veins on his hand as he leaned closer. "No more playing, Gazellian. We had enough for today."

I couldn't utter a single word. I couldn't even move. I knew that the same trick wouldn't work for him again. Sa sandaling malanghap niyang muli ang amoy ng dugo ko ay nasisigurado kong matitiis na niya ako.

Kreios turned his back and sat on the edge of his bed. I heard a thud as he half-laid, his legs dangling over the side. He covered his eyes with one of his arms.

Silence overwhelmed us, with only the gentle sound of a crackling hearth echoing inside the room.

I pulled one of my chains, creating a single clank, I stopped and closed my eyes. I tilted my head and allowed myself to rest between the small spaces of my golden bar.

I sighed.

"I am scared. Now that the memories of the past are rushing back, those that my mother tried to erase, I can't help but get scared . . ." he said in his muffled voice.

And he continued, "She was like you, Claret, grandmother— women tied with responsibilities. I've seen how my father did everything but, in the end, he was left behind . . ."

Hindi na itinuloy ni Kreios ang sasabihin niya at muling namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin dalawa. Inakala kong nakatulog na siya nang bumangon siya pero hindi na niya ako sinulyapang muli.

He walked to his cabinet and opened it. Pulling his black suit over his head, revealing how he effortlessly flexed his shredded body. He took the black robe and put it on, not even trying to tie it, exposing his chest.

Unlike Dastan, Tobias, and even my other brothers, Kreios had a preference for wearing black.

Hindi na ako kinausap ni Kreios nang tumawag siya ng mga tagasunod. Hindi na rin naman ako nagsalita kaya pinanuod ko na lang ang bawat kilos niya.

He sat on the edge of his bed again, casually crossing his legs. As he turned to glance at my cage, not me, one of the golden bars shimmered, creating another chain. The chain slithered slowly towards his hand, and it transformed into a golden bell. He rang it, and within a minute, servants came knocking at our door.

Kreios pressed both of his palms on the bed, behind him, inclining his body, the silky fabric of his black robe slid off one shoulder, revealing half of his tempting body.

It was a familiar move, but I didn't expect that Kreios could do it effortlessly in one attempt. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"Fuck him," I whispered.

The door opened, and I knew what exactly he was trying to do with me. The king was about to take a bath and he needed servants to prepare him.

The female servants were hesitant at first with my presence, blatantly glaring at them, but with the casual movement of Kreios's hand, inviting them to hurry up, all they did was lower their heads as they started to prepare.

The servants brought towels, basins filled with water, scented bottles with colored liquids, petals of flowers, fans, and even plates with different fruits.

"Inihahanda na po ang inyong paliguan, Kamahalan," sabi ng isa sa tagasunod niya.

"Alright."

Two of the servants kneeled in front of him, gently taking his feet and placing them on the basin filled with water. One of the servants opened a scented bottle, placed a bowl on a small table, put a colored stone on it, lit a small fire, and dropped it until it created smoke— allowing the soothing lavender scent to take over the whole room.

I tried to calm myself. I fought against my will to stand up and wreck the golden bars around me. Instead, I hugged my legs to my chest, hiding half of my face in my knees, but my eyes burned crimson red as I watched Kreios with his servants.

He knew what he was doing, and he was not done getting back at me— he was just starting.

My body trembled at the vivid sound of the water as the servants dipped the tiny cloth into the basin, their hands squeezing the dampened towel, causing the water to flow like alluring crystals in my ears.

I gulped as Kreios tilted his head, his Adam's apple moved, and his chest rising and falling as he breathed. The dampened cloth from the servants slowly pressed his chest tracing down his stomach.

My throat hurt, my nails were growing, and my fangs were trying to appear. I wanted to rip his servant's head off and ravish that insolent king for seducing me like crazy.

I tightened my embrace around myself as my breathing became ragged, the way the droplets of water from the dampened cloth glided down on every edge of his chest, tracing every dangerous line on his stomach, down to that v-line as if it were my fingertips with my tongue following its path.

Hindi ko na napansin na natutusok ko na ang sarili kong braso dahil sa matinding pagtitig ko sa ginagawa nila kay Kreios.

It was just a simple preparation, and it was common for every king, but with my relationship with Kreios right now?

While his servants were busy serving him, I saw how the side of his right eye, now as crimson as mine glanced in my direction, and I knew that he was very delighted with my reaction.

He grinned.

"Fuck you."

Hinayaan niya akong halos kapusin sa aking paghinga habang inihahain niya ang kanyang sarili sa kamay ng kanyang mga tagasunod.

The servants were all careful to look in my direction, but I knew that they were aware of their situation once the crazy-possessed queen got out of her golden cage.

Sabay-sabay humilera ang mga babaeng tagasunod kay Kreios at yumuko ang mga ito. "Nakahanda ka na po, Mahal na Hari."

Kreois nodded, crossing his legs once more, and running his finger through his hair.

Nagmadali nang lumabas ang mga tagasunod sa aming silid at nasundan iyon ng isang matandang bampira. He could be Kreios's adviser or right hand. At iilang babaeng tagasunod na pawang may dalang tuwalya.ku

"Nakahanda na ang paliguan, Mahal na Hari."

"Alright."

Tumayo na si Kreios at walang lingon niya akong iniwan sa loob ng silid na iyon habang nanginginig sa galit sa kanya sa loob ng aking kulungan.

Iritable na akong tumayo sa kulungan, marahas kong hinawakan ang gintong rehas at ilang beses ko iyong kinalampag kasabay nang pagsigaw. Buong akala ko ay hawak ko na sa leeg si Kreios, buong akala ko ay hindi niya ako matitiis sa kaunting pang-aakit ko sa kanya!

I thought it would be easy for me in this empire after a few of my manipulations—

"Ngayon, naranasan mong tiisin? Magdusa ka, Gazellian. Tandaan mo. Hindi lang ikaw ang anak ng diyosa."

Sasagot na sana ako sa isipan ko nang biglang isarado iyon ni Kreios, dahilan kung bakit lalo akong napasigaw at magwala sa aking kulungan.

Hindi na bumalik si Kreios ng gabing iyon at nakatulog ako sa aking kulungan. Kung iniisip niyang isang malaking kaparusahan na sa akin ang pagtulog dito, nagkakamali siya.

He might not be aware of the way King Thaddeus Leighton Gazellian trained his children.

I was humming inside my golden cage, when the door swung open, revealing King Kreios Sageton Doyle. He was wearing a black cloak, black gloves, and a fitted black turtleneck top but with exposed biceps. He looked undoubtedly, salivating.

He really liked dressing differently from his men, huh?

"How are you, my Queen?"

"Alive."

"Are you going to kill me in this cage without food? Blood? My back hurts. If King Dastan got wind of this foolishness, he'll bury this empire to the ground."

He grinned. "You're a Gazellian. You'll not die inside a cage. And there's no way Dastan can hear anything about this. Mudelior is practically locked down. You're on your own, Harper. Perhaps you want a change of clothes or a dress? Because you practically looked like an entertainer."

"I am an entertainer."

"Good point," he flicked his fingers.

Pumapasok sa loob ang mga babaeng tagasunod na katulad nang nangyari kahapon ay may dala-dala na ring mga kagamitan bago maligo.

"You'll attend a meeting with me today, my Queen. Be gentle with my queen, ladies. I'll be back in an hour."

Umawang ang bibig ko nang bigla na lang akong iwan ni Kreios nang ganoon na lamang. Nang sumulyap ako sa mga kaawa-awang tagasunod ay napailing na lang ako.

Of course, they're afraid for their lives. Kaya nang sandaling tuluyan na akong inilabas sa kulungan, wala akong ibang ginawa kundi sumunod sa bawat sabihin nila— still with these chains.

Wala akong kinausap sa kanila pero ipinakita ko sa kanila na nasa maayos na pag-iisip pa rin ako. I smiled at them sweetly, just like how the creatures of Sartorias knew me. Pinapili nila ako ng kasuotan na hindi na bago sa akin.

Of course, Kreios was aware of how I dressed in Parsua Sartorias, with colors, expensive fabric, ribbons, ruffles, and even jewels. If he'd expected that I'd live in his empire dressed like a doll, then he was wrong.

"I'd like to dress in black. Similar with your king."

Iyon ang unang salitang sinabi ko sa mga tagasunod. Agad silang yumuko at nagmadaling lumabas ang ilan sa kanila para maghanap ng kagustuhan ko.

Naupo ako sa kama ni Kreios, itinuon ko ang dalawang palad ko habang nilalaro sa mga kadena sa paa ko. The servants strangely looked at me as I playfully swung my slender legs, with my chains ringing inside the room.

Hindi rin nagtagal ay bumalik na ang mga tagasunod na may dalang iba't ibang disenyo ng kasuotan.

"Hmm . . ." I hummed with a few of my fingers playing below my chin.

"I'd like to take that one."

I picked a dress with a mixture of black and diamond. It had a low v-neckline reaching my belly button. The center and the side of my breasts were exposed, the waistline had diamonds emphasizing how narrow and how it perfectly fit my body, my arms were exposed, with my shoulder was draped with cloths as if it were wings. My hair was braided with web-like jewelry hanging around my head, a necklace like a choker with similar web-like details, connected to my dress's shoulder blades. And my hands were filled with jewelry— making me look shimmering even with black.

Humahangang napatulala ang mga tagasunod nang matapos silang lahat sa pag-aayos sa akin habang kapwa kami nakaharap sa inihanda nilang salamin.

"Napakaganda mo, Mahal na Reyna!"

Maging ako ay natigilan sa repleksyon ko— kaiba sa sarili kong repleksyon na lagi akong nakikita sa salamin nang panahong nasa Sartorias pa ako.

Ano ang iisipin ng mga kapatid ko sa sandaling makita nila ako nang ganito? Would they think of me as the same Harper— the youngest Gazellian, the weakest, and fragile.

Huminga ako nang malalim at taas noo kong hinarap ang mga tagasunod ni Kreios. "Salamat."

Hindi pa man sila nakaaalis ng silid ay bigla muling nabuksan ang pinto, sumungaw ang ulo ni Kreios at agad siyang napabitaw sa pagkakahawak niya sa pinto nang magtama ang aming mga mata.

Napatulala siya, natigilan, at ilang beses kumurap. Huminga siya nang malalim at namaywang sa harapan ng mga tagasunod. "Leave us."

Kasasarado pa lang ng silid nang mas humarap siya sa akin. "You sure—"

"Yes. Now give me your arms, Your Majesty."

Mariin siyang pumikit bago siya tumabi sa akin at ilapit ang kanyang braso. Inangkla ko ang aking braso sa kanya, yumuko siya at alam ko kung saan siya nakatitig.

"You're also a son of a goddess. Alam kong kaya mo akong tiisin."

I brushed the middle of my breast against his bare arms.

He took a sharp intake.

Naningkit ang mga mata niya sa akin. "I am. And I don't care if we'll waste our time seducing each other, Harper. As long as you're here."

Nagsimula na kaming maglakad habang naririnig ko ang kadena na nakasunod sa paa ko. "You're desperate."

"I am, and I can't remember denying it. So, as long as I can't feel that you're sincere in staying here with me, you'll be bound with that golden chain, Gazellian."

"While seducing me?"

"While we seduce each other."

Nakarating kami sa pinto ng silid ng pagpupulong, dahan-dahan iyong nabuksan, kasabay nang sabay-sabay na pagtindig ng mga bampira bilang pagbati sa amin mula sa mahabang lamesa.

"Allow me to introduce you to my Queen, Harper Esmeralda Gazellian, don't be bothered with her golden chains, it's just for safety reasons, you see, my queen is not yet fully cured, her condition is episodic." Magandang paliwanag ni Kreios.

If he'd expected that everything would be easy for him, he was wrong. Dahil sa halip na umupo ako sa upuan katabi niya ay kumalong ako kay Kreios, humilig ako sa kanya habang nakahawak ang isang kamay ko sa dibdib niya.

Sa halip na bumati sa akin ang mga bampira ay mas natahimik sila. Some were not even sure where to look.

Kreios looked at me, surprised, yet amused. "And we're still in our honeymoon stage," he added.

I took the paper to the table and read the topic of the meeting quickly. "Shall we start, gentlemen?"